Warnings: Swearing represented by dash ( - ) lines
"One small Laughing Taffy ice cream please," Harry reached up to the high counter in the Sweet Shop to place the four galleons that Sirius had given him on it as payment.
The man at the cash register only huffed in response, taking the money roughly from Harry. When the ice cream was ready, the man did not come around the counter as he should have, but purposefully dumped the treat into Harry's lap.
Harry stared at the upturned waffle cone for a minute before loudly bursting into tears. Remus hurried to inspect the damage and calm Harry while Sirius let the man have a piece of his mind.
"Listen you! He is eight years old! He deserves a - ice cream! Just for that, he should get a free ice cream! Where's the owner? I want to speak to your boss! You should be fired! Never in all my life-!"
"It's no use Siri," Remus touched his arm, "Let's go home, I think we've all had enough for today."
"Ice cream?" Harry asked sadly, scrubbing at his face and sniffling.
"Yes ice cream, when we get home, okay?"
Harry just buried his head in Remus' neck and was soon asleep.
When they got home, an emotionally exhausted Harry was put to bed, and then Remus and Sirius went out into the living room with two cups of coffee to talk.
"It's okay Siri, no one was hurt," Remus tried to sooth the brooding man next to him with a hand on his knee.
Sirius shook his head, eyes blind to the happenings around him, "It's not, Remus. It's just... not. He was hurt, did you see? I mean, not physically, but emotionally. How is he supposed to learn how to protect himself if we -if I- can't even do that much until he's old enough? I'm his godfather, for Merlin's sake."
"You are doing that, Siri. Everyday you protect him-"
Sirius shook his head again, "Not today."
"Yes, today. Everyday. Everyday your entire focus is him. James would be so proud. I know I am. And Harry is too."
"Don't lie to me, Remmie."
"I'm not lying. Harry's biggest smiles are only when you're around. He feels safe with you. You're his godfather, and he sees you as his world. No one else exists to him when you talk to him or tuck him in bed at night. I would say you're doing a fantastic job protecting and loving him."
"Sirius!" came a call from down the hall.
Remus smiled at his best friend, "Sounds like a pup who needs his papa to me. Go. I'll start lunch."
With a sad half smile at his friend, Sirius stood up and strolled down the hall to fulfill his only purpose in life. And what a blessed purpose it was.